Sheet metal case



E L HERBOLSHEIMER SHEET METAL CASE F led S pt 24 1930 Nov. 1, 1932.

Patented, Nov. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE nmIL L.HEBZBOLSHEIMER, or DEFIANGEOHIQ ASSIGNOB rro THE nnnIAncn rnnssnn STEELCOMPANY, or nnrmncn, OHIO, A oonronArron or 01110 SHEET METAL oasnApplication filed September 24, 1930. Serial No. 484,027.

This invention relates to metallicstorage and shipping cases for bottlesor. similar articles.

Cases of this character which arennide of sheet metal are subjected tohard usage and, unless reinforced at the bottom edge thereof, soonbecome so badly distorted at such edge as to lessen the efficiencythereof and also prevent the piling of one case on another to facilitatecompact storageof the same.

The object of the present invention is to provide a bottom edgeconstruction for cases of this character which isstrong and durable andefiectually resists the severe knocks to which the bottom edges of thecases are subjected when thrown around by careless handlers.

The invention is fully described 1n the following specificatioinandwhile in its broader aspect it is capable of embodiment in differentforms, a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which a V Figure 1 is a perspective view of a case embodyingthe invention, with a portion broken away; Fig. 2 is an enlargedfragmentary sectional view in perspective of a lower corner portion ofthe case; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of theupper and lower corner portions of two cases resting one on the other. 1

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a case or box having the sidewalls 2, 2 and end walls 3, 3 of sheet metal. The interior of the case,by the provision of crossing strips 4:, is made of cellular form toprovide a plurality of spaces for receiving bottles or the like, and thetop and bottom of the case are open except that the bottom has aplurality of rods 5 extending in parallel spaced relation from oneend tothe other thereof, as well understood in the art.

The top edge of the case is provided with a reinforcing frame 6preferably of channel iron in cross-section which extends entirelyaround the upper edge portion of the case and has its channel openinoutwardly. The metal forming the side and end walls of the case extendsup at the inner side of such frame in flat contact therewith and itsupper edge is bent outwardly over the top of theframe and clinchedaround and under the top flange thereof, as best shown in F ig. 3.

' The lower. edge of the case is reinforced by a'bottom frame? of L orangle iron form in cross-section and one flange is disposed horizontallywith its free edge projecting outwardly while, the other flange projectsdownwardly in inwardly spaced relation to the lower marginal edge of thecase and forms a supporting foot therefor.

The frame? is retained to the bottom of the case by doubling a portionof each case slde and end upon itself above the lower edge portion ofsuch side or end to form a flange 8 which extends outwardly, downwardlyand inwardly in embracing relation around the free edge of thehorizontal flange of the frame. The portion of the side or end metalwhich extends beyond the flanges 8 extends over the top side of theframe 7 and it is looped or doubled back at the inner edge of the frame,as shown at 9, to form an anchorage for the respective ends of thebottom rods 5. The free edge of the horizontal flange of the frameextends outwardly beyond the vertical plane of the respective end ofside wall of the case so that the frame not only reinforces andstrengthens walls and assists in tying them together, but an upwardthrust thereof is opposed by the case wall.

It is found in practice that the provision of-the angle iron frame 7makes an exceedingly rigid and durable bottom rest for the case andprevents the upward dishing or bending and otherwise distorting of thelower edge portions of sheet metal cases to which they are customarilysubjected by hard usage in handling. i Within each upper corner of thecase is rigidly secured a corner-iron 10 which is riveted to the sidesand ends of the case through the top frame 6 and serve to hold thecases'incentered relation when being stacked one on another. The innerdownwardlyprojecting flange of the bottom frame 7 is intended to rest onthe-horizontal body portion of the corner-irons of the'subjacent theside and end case and to have the upwardly projecting stud portions ofthe irons loosely inserted within the respective corners of the frame toprevent any material lateral displacement of one case relative toanother when in stacked relation.

One of the advantages of the present form of bottom frame over thoseheretofore used, so far as I am aware, is that the frame is sufficientlystrong to resist distortion and is therefore ordinarily in a conditionfor stacking with the corner-irons of another case. The provision ofthis form of bottom frame also makes it possible to indiscriminatelystack metallic and wooden cases together one on top of another, which isnot ordinarily possible with metallic frames of the constructioncommonly used.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specificconstruction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable ofdifferent modifications without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire'tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A metal case of the class described, having sheet metal side and endwalls, and a frame of L-form in cross-section disposedat the lower edgeof said walls and forming a foot rest therefor, said walls havingportions near their loweredges doubled upon themselves :and formingflanges which extend outwardly, downwardly and inwardly around the freeedge of the horizontal flange of the frame.

2. A metal case of the class described, having sheet metal side and endwalls, and an angle-iron frame disposed at the lower edge of the caseentirely around the same with its horizontal flange projecti 1goutwardly with respect to the case and extending beyond the respectiveside and end walls thereof, said Walls,'near their lower edges, beingdoubled upon themselves to form outwardly,.downwardly and inwardlyextending flanges in embracing relation to the free edge of thehorizontal flange of the frame and then having a portion extendinginwardly over the top of the frame and forming a bottom-rod anchorageloop at the inner edge of the frame.

3. A metal case of the class described, having sheet metal side and endwalls,'each of said walls having its lower edge extending outwardly,downwardly and inwardly to form 'an inwardly opening recessat such edge,and an angle-iron frame disposed at the lower edge of said wallsentirely around the case with its horizontal fian e projecting into saidrecess at the respective side and end walls of the case and firmlyclamped by the metal forming the recess withthe upward thrust of theframe directly against the edgesof said walls in the planes thereof, theI vertical flange of the frame being spaced inwardly from the respectivewalls.

4. A metal case of the class described, having sheet metal side and endwalls, each of said walls having its lower edge extending outwardly,downwardly and inwardly to form an inwardly opening recess'at such edge,andan angle-iron frame disposed at the lower edge of said walls entirelyaround the case with its horizontal flange projecting into said recessat the respective side and end walls of the case and firmly clamped bythe metal forming the recess with the upward thrust of the framedirectly against the edges of said walls in the planes thereof, thevertical flange of the frame bein spaced inwardly from the respectivewalls, and a bottomrod anchorage means looped around the outer edge ofthe frame within said recess of a respective wall and extending inwardlyover the top of the frame to bottom-rod anchorage position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to thisspecification.

EMIL L. HERBOLSHEIMER.

